I-T raids on Kashmir separatists

NEW DELHI: The income tax department on Wednesday began a fresh crackdown against radical outfits in Jammu & Kashmir with the head of a prominent organisation, allegedly indulging in anti-national activities along with his associates, covered in a search action by tax authorities.

"Search action has been conducted at four premises in the Valley and three in the national capital. The search action has yielded credible evidence of large-scale undisclosed financial transactions carried out in the business of quarrying, hotels etc," the Central Board of Direct Taxes said in a statement. The income tax action come hours after the National Investigation Agency carried out searches at seven locations in J&K, including the residences of several separatist leaders, in its probe into a terror funding case.

The CBDT said the department had come across "clinching evidence" of huge unaccounted expenditure having been incurred in cash on the reconstruction and remodelling of the residential premises currently being used by the tax evader's family.

"Despite carrying out large scale financial transactions, neither the main protagonist nor any member of his family has ever filed any income tax return. The evidence found in the search action is robust enough to show a deliberate and wilful attempt to evade tax," it said.

In the search action, three hard discs were also seized. Analysis of the information contained in the discs is likely to yield more substantial evidence against the tax evader and his associates. "This action is part of a concerted drive to trace illegal sources of funding that have financed separatist elements and their activities in the Valley," the tax department said.